DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Pat Neshek #40 of the Oakland Athletics looks to the sky as he touches the patch with the letter's "GJN" on it after he recorded the final out of the bottom of the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. The patch worn by all the members of the Athletics is in memory of Neshek's son Gehrig John who died aprox 23 hours after birth on October 3. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Pat Neshek #40 of the Oakland Athletics...

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Pat Neshek #40 of the Oakland Athletics throws a pitch in the seveht inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Pat Neshek #40 of the Oakland Athletics...

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A's third baseman Josh Donaldson heads for the bench after striking out to lead off the ninth.

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

A's third baseman Josh Donaldson heads for the bench after striking...

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Oakland Athletics Coco Crisp reacts to striking out in the third inning of their ALDS game with the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics Coco Crisp reacts to striking out in the third...

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Oakland Athletics Cliff Pennington is forced out at 2nd base by Omar Infante during their ALDS game with the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics Cliff Pennington is forced out at 2nd base by...

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Oakland Athletics Stephen Drew and Cliff Pennington unknowingley battle each other to catch a Prince Fielder fly ball in the third inning of their ALDS game with the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics Stephen Drew and Cliff Pennington unknowingley...

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker throws to the Detroit Tigers in the third inning of their ALDS game Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker throws to the...

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker throws to the Detroit Tigers in the first of their ALDS game Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker throws to the...

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Oakland Athletics Yoenis Cespedes jumps back on first base ahead the the throw to Prince Fielder in the first inning of their ALDS baseball game with the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics Yoenis Cespedes jumps back on first base ahead...

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Oakland Athletics Brandon Moss reacts to striking out in the third inning of their ALDS game with the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics Brandon Moss reacts to striking out in the third...

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Debi Smith kisses her son Oakland Athletics pitcherJerry Blevins prior to the A's game with the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Debi Smith kisses her son Oakland Athletics pitcherJerry Blevins...

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Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Pat Neshek (40) throws during the seventh inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Photo: Paul Sancya, Associated Press

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Pat Neshek (40) throws during the...

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Pat Neshek #40 of the Oakland Athletics throws a pitch in the seveht inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Pat Neshek #40 of the Oakland Athletics...

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker (11) heads to the dugout after he was relieved during the seventh inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Photo: Paul Sancya, Associated Press

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker (11) heads to the...

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Josh Reddick #16 of the Oakland Athletics makes a diving catch in on a fly out hit by Austin Jackson #14 of the Detroit Tigers during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Photo: Leon Halip, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Josh Reddick #16 of the Oakland...

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Alex Avila #13 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates with teammates in the dugout after he scored on his solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Photo: Leon Halip, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Alex Avila #13 of the Detroit Tigers...

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers throws a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit...

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Jarrod Parker #11 of the Oakland Athletics walks towards the dugout after he was taken out of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Jarrod Parker #11 of the Oakland...

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Joaquin Benoit #53 of the Detroit Tigers reacts as he pitches in the eighth inning against the Oakland Athletics during Game One of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 6, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 06: Joaquin Benoit #53 of the Detroit Tigers...

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Oakland Athletics' Josh Donaldson, left, argues with home plate umpire Jim Reynolds after striking out during the sixth inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Photo: Paul Sancya, Associated Press

Oakland Athletics' Josh Donaldson, left, argues with home plate...

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Detroit Tigers second baseman Omar Infante, top, jumps over Oakland Athletics' Cliff Pennington after forcing him out at second base on a fielder's choice during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker (11) walks off the mound after he was relieved during the seventh inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Tigers fans hold up strikeout K's for starting pitcher Justin Verlander during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series against the Oakland Athletics, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Photo: Paul Sancya, Associated Press

Detroit Tigers fans hold up strikeout K's for starting pitcher...

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker looks up in the dugout after getting pulled in the seventh inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Photo: Paul Sancya, Associated Press

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker looks up in the...

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Oakland Athletics' Stephen Drew talks back to home plate umpire Jim Reynolds after getting called out on strikes during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League division baseball series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers Alex Avila is greeted by third base coach Gene Lamont after hitting a solo home run in the 5th inning of their ALDS game with the Oakland Athletics Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Detroit Tigers Alex Avila is greeted by third base coach Gene...

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Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin greets Josh Reddick, not in photo during their ALDS baseball game with the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin greets Josh Reddick, not in...

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National Guard A10 Tunder Bolt jets fly over Tiger Stadium prior to the start of the first ALDS baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Detroit Tigers Saturday October 6, 2012 in Detroit MI

The A's bats couldn't quite catch up with Justin Verlander's fastball, and their gloves couldn't quite come up with a few tricky grounders by the Tigers.

That combination added up to a 3-1 loss to Detroit in Game 1 of the best-of-five American League Division Series. Verlander, the defending AL MVP and Cy Young winner, struck out 11 batters in seven innings, and his fastball routinely registered 98 to 101 mph.

The A's, though, had a pitching performance that was, in its way, more impressive. Three days after the death of his newborn son, Oakland reliever Pat Neshek entered the game in the seventh inning with one out and two men on. Tigers fans next to the bullpen thanked Neshek for coming to the series, and their kindness made him even more emotional, Neshek said, yet somehow he got a groundball and then struck out Austin Jackson to end the inning.

"We all knew his little one was with him out there on the mound," A's outfielder Josh Reddick said.

"It's unbelievable for him to go through what he has and be able to man up and do what he did," A's starter Jarrod Parker said. "That's so impressive. All our hearts and minds are with him, and that was big for him and it was big for us."

As for the rest of the A's, the most notable moment came early: Coco Crisp led off the game with a homer. Oakland had only one other man get past first base: Stephen Drew doubled with one out in the third and was stranded there.

The A's finished with just four hits, but they did get a moment of excitement in the eighth when, with a man on and Verlander out of the game, Brandon Moss hit a ball to the base of the wall in right.

"I thought it was going out," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "We all did. When he catches one like that, they go out. I think he got it off the end just a bit."

Until Alex Avila's homer on the first pitch off the fifth inning, both the Tigers' runs came on grounders that the A's got gloves on.

Jackson led off the first with a double - off the glove of diving shortstop Stephen Drew. Quintin Berry followed with a single that ticked off Donaldson's glove at third, with Donaldson playing a step or two in after a foul bunt attempt by Berry. That put men at the corners, and Jackson scored on Miguel Cabrera's double-play grounder.

In the third, Omar Infante doubled into the corner in left, and with one out, Berry hit a tapper down the first-base line. Parker raced to field it, tried to scoop it up and run to the bag, but he didn't come up with it and simply pushed the ball further up the line. It was a base hit for Berry, and Infante scored as a result of the error charged to Parker, who had to run the ball down.

"It just came out of my glove," Parker said. "That's a play I usually make."

"He sort of flung it out of his glove, but it wasn't a toss to me," first baseman Brandon Moss said. "He asked me afterward if I could have had it if he hadn't gone for it. Maybe, but Quintin is pretty fast."

The rest of the game was a parade of A's strikeouts, for the most part, and they didn't take much satisfaction out of driving up Verlander's pitch count to 121 after seven. "Yeah, we battled," said Moss, who struck out three times against Verlander, "but we only put up one run against him."

During the game, there was some grumbling about the strike zone from players leaving the box, but the A's did not use that as an excuse afterward.

"When you're pumping in strikes the way he was, the umpires tend to lean that way if it's close," Donaldson said.

Now, the A's must win Sunday or go home down 0-2 and needing a sweep to win the series. While Oakland pulled off just such a sweep to win the AL West title last week, they'd prefer a split in Detroit.

"Nobody wants to feel like it's a must-win," Donaldson said, "but we sure want to walk out of here 1-1."

Oakland has been at its best when challenged, and Reddick said, "We're not worried. We've done well all year down one. We're not going to panic."

Crisp is the fourth Oakland player to lead off a postseason game with a homer, following Bert Campaneris (ALCS, Game 2, 1973), Rickey Henderson (World Series, Game 4, 1989) and Ray Durham (Division Series, 2002).

The A's have 12 rookies on the postseason roster, and they became the second team with four rookies starting in a playoff game - after Melvin's 2007 Arizona team.